Should I have to pay for new checks if. . .

[MichelleCarmen]

the bank I do business with fails and is bought out by another? They said right now I can still use checks from the bank that failed, but that there will be a cut-off time for those and my debit card.

Oh, and to add in, I had ordered new checks (printed with the old bank's info) with my new address and those just arrived in the mail today! Feel weird paying my rent with a check from a bank that no longer exists!

I don't even want to bank at the new one (grumble) but going in and transfering to another bank is a PITA.

 

[Lynnie]

You shouldn't have to, but I guess you'd have to check with your 'new' bank to be sure. They should honor whatever stipulations your old account had.

My original bank got bought out. My checking acct was free everything - free checks, no balance limit, etc. My old acct was 'grandfathered in', so now I don't have to pay for a thing w/the new bank. Occasionally they'll get sneaky, though. A few years ago I noticed they were charging me every time I used my debit card. I called right away, and they corrected it and gave my money back.

 

[pinkstars]

You probably do have to. Unless they would be nice enough to maybe count you as a new customer and give you the first box free(seems like an unlikely situation.) But I also think that if they took over your bank, then they have control over it so the encoding on your check is still valid and would still work and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[wannaBMrsH]

That happened to me a few years ago when my bank merged with one of the big ones. For over a year, they honored the previous checks, but finally said I had to pay for them. I went in and asked to close my account. When they asked me why I was closing it, I told them exactly what you said, "Why should I have to pay for new checks just because you took over my bank? I still have a full box of the invalid ones. If I transfer to another bank they will give me my first box free."

They gave me my first box free of charge and waive the direct deposit requirement for six months, which was exactly what I needed when I was out of work for five of those!

I still got another account with my husband's credit union and they are so much better than Big Bank, I just don't want to close the account I've had for such a long time.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

You probably do have to. Unless they would be nice enough to maybe count you as a new customer and give you the first box free(seems like an unlikely situation.) But I also think that if they took over your bank, then they have control over it so the encoding on your check is still valid and would still work and you shouldn't have a problem.

If you go in an nicely explain the situation to the manager I actually would expect them to give you one free box of basic checks. The transition is difficult for all involved and confidence will be at a low. It's good business for the manager to help their customers as best they can.

 

[Haven]

I'm surprised that they're making you get new checks. Our bank recently switched and we're allowed to keep on using the checks we have from our old bank until they run out.

I don't think you should have to pay for new checks, and I think it's bad business if you go in there and explain the situation and they don't give you new checks free of charge.

 

[charbie]

I don't think u should pay for the checks. Id call and complain personally. You may be shocked at the customer service they will offer, since they want to give a good impression to keep you as a customer. I come from the camp of always asking for minor compensation of sorts when I've had poor customer service. I'm not asking for the world, but its usually worh a shot to me to ask for something for free.

My bank was recently bought out and they changed all my account numbers. I had a ton of bills on autopay and realized I had somehow overdrafted in the transition process. I called in just to find out the balance to pay it off, and the lady said, "what can I do to make this situation better?" And I just said, "well, there isn't much you can do, right?" To which she slyly responded, "what can I do to make this sittuation better?" I finally got it, she could clear the overdraft charges, I just had to ask, and she couldn't come right out and say it, I had to ask. So I told her I didn't want to pay the charges, and they got swiped clean.